小王子-the little prince (英文版)-第4章

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ver　want　to　return。　But　on　this　last　morning　all　these　familiar　tasks　seemed　very　precious　to　him。　And　when　he　watered　the　flower　for　the　last　time；　and　prepared　to　place　her　under　the　shelter　of　her　glass　globe；　he　realised　that　he　was　very　close　to　tears。
〃Goodbye；〃　he　said　to　the　flower。　
But　she　made　no　answer。　
〃Goodbye；〃　he　said　again。
The　flower　coughed。　But　it　was　not　because　she　had　a　cold。　
〃I　have　been　silly；〃　she　said　to　him；　at　last。　〃I　ask　your　fiveness。　Try　to　be　happy。。。〃　
He　was　surprised　by　this　absence　of　reproaches。　He　stood　there　all　bewildered；　the　glass　globe　held　arrested　in　midair。　He　did　not　understand　this　quiet　sweetness。　
〃Of　course　I　love　you；〃　the　flower　said　to　him。　〃It　is　my　fault　that　you　have　not　known　it　all　the　while。　That　is　of　no　importance。　But　you　you　have　been　just　as　foolish　as　I。　Try　to　be　happy。。。　let　the　glass　globe　be。　I　don‘t　want　it　any　more。〃　
〃But　the　wind〃　
〃My　cold　is　not　so　bad　as　all　that。。。　the　cool　night　air　will　do　me　good。　I　am　a　flower。〃　
〃But　the　animals〃　
〃Well；　I　must　endure　the　presence　of　two　or　three　caterpillars　if　I　wish　to　bee　acquainted　with　the　butterflies。　It　seems　that　they　are　very　beautiful。　And　if　not　the　butterflies　and　the　caterpillars　who　will　call　upon　me？　You　will　be　far　away。。。　as　for　the　large　animals　I　am　not　at　all　afraid　of　any　of　them。　I　have　my　claws。〃　
And；　na飗ely；　she　showed　her　four　thorns。　Then　she　added：　
〃Don‘t　linger　like　this。　You　have　decided　to　go　away。　Now　go！〃　
For　she　did　not　want　him　to　see　her　crying。　She　was　such　a　proud　flower。。。

　
　
＇　Chapter　10　＇

　　the　little　prince　visits　the　king　


He　found　himself　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　asteroids　325；　326；　327；　328；　329；　and　330。　He　began；　therefore；　by　visiting　them；　in　order　to　add　to　his　knowledge。　
The　first　of　them　was　inhabited　by　a　king。　Clad　in　royal　purple　and　ermine；　he　was　seated　upon　a　throne　which　was　at　the　same　time　both　simple　and　majestic。　
〃Ah！　Here　is　a　subject；〃　exclaimed　the　king；　when　he　saw　the　little　prince　ing。　
And　the　little　prince　asked　himself：　
〃How　could　he　recognize　me　when　he　had　never　seen　me　before？〃　
He　did　not　know　how　the　world　is　simplified　for　kings。　To　them；　all　men　are　subjects。　
〃Approach；　so　that　I　may　see　you　better；〃　said　the　king；　who　felt　consumingly　proud　of　being　at　last　a　king　over　somebody。　
The　little　prince　looked　everywhere　to　find　a　place　to　sit　down；　but　the　entire　pla　was　crammed　and　obstructed　by　the　king‘s　magnificent　ermine　robe。　So　he　remained　standing　upright；　and；　since　he　was　tired；　he　yawned。
〃It　is　contrary　to　etiquette　to　yawn　in　the　presence　of　a　king；〃　the　monarch　said　to　him。　〃I　forbid　you　to　do　so。〃　
〃I　can‘t　help　it。　I　can‘t　stop　myself；〃　replied　the　little　prince；　thoroughly　embarrassed。　〃I　have　e　on　a　long　journey；　and　I　have　had　no　sleep。。。〃　
〃Ah；　then；〃　the　king　said。　〃I　order　you　to　yawn。　It　is　years　since　I　have　seen　anyone　yawning。　Yawns；　to　me；　are　objects　of　curiosity。　e；　now！　Yawn　again！　It　is　an　order。〃
〃That　frightens　me。。。　I　cannot；　any　more。。。〃　murmured　the　little　prince；　now　pletely　abashed。
〃Hum！　Hum！〃　replied　the　king。　〃Then　I　I　order　you　sometimes　to　yawn　and　sometimes　to〃
He　sputtered　a　little；　and　seemed　vexed。　
For　what　the　king　fundamentally　insisted　upon　was　that　his　authority　should　be　respected。　He　tolerated　no　disobedience。　He　was　an　absolute　monarch。　But；　because　he　was　a　very　good　man；　he　made　his　orders　reasonable。　
〃If　I　ordered　a　general；〃　he　would　say；　by　way　of　example；　〃if　I　ordered　a　general　to　change　himself　into　a　sea　bird；　and　if　the　general　did　not　obey　me；　that　would　not　be　the　fault　of　the　general。　It　would　be　my　fault。〃　
〃May　I　sit　down？〃　came　no　the　little　prince。　
〃I　order　you　to　do　so；〃　the　king　answered　him；　and　majestically　gathered　in　a　fold　of　his　ermine　mantle。　

　
　

But　the　little　prince　was　wondering。。。　The　pla　was　tiny。　Over　what　could　this　king　really　rule？　
〃Sire；〃　he　said　to　him；　〃I　beg　that　you　will　excuse　my　asking　you　a　question〃　
〃I　order　you　to　ask　me　a　question；〃　the　king　hastened　to　assure　him。　
〃Sire　over　what　do　you　rule？〃　
〃Over　everything；〃　said　the　king；　with　magnificent　simplicity。　
〃Over　everything？〃　
The　king　made　a　gesture；　which　took　in　his　pla；　the　other　plas；　and　all　the　stars。　
〃Over　all　that？〃　asked　the　little　prince。　
〃Over　all　that；〃　the　king　answered。　
For　his　rule　was　not　only　absolute：　it　was　also　universal。　
〃And　the　stars　obey　you？〃　
〃Certainly　they　do；〃　the　king　said。　〃They　obey　instantly。　I　do　not　permit　insubordination。〃　

Such　power　was　a　thing　for　the　little　prince　to　marvel　at。　If　he　had　been　master　of　such　plete　authority；　he　would　have　been　able　to　watch　the　sunset；　not　fortyfour　times　in　one　day；　but　seventytwo；　or　even　a　hundred；　or　even　two　hundred　times；　with　out　ever　having　to　move　his　chair。　And　because　he　felt　a　bit　sad　as　he　remembered　his　little　pla　which　he　had　forsaken；　he　plucked　up　his　courage　to　ask　the　king　a　favor：　
〃I　should　like　to　see　a　sunset。。。　do　me　that　kindness。。。　Order　the　sun　to　set。。。〃　
〃If　I　ordered　a　general　to　fly　from　one　flower　to　another　like　a　butterfly；　or　to　write　a　tragic　drama；　or　to　change　himself　into　a　sea　bird；　and　if　the　general　did　not　carry　out　the　order　that　he　had　received；　which　one　of　us　would　be　in　the　wrong？〃　the　king　demanded。　〃The　general；　or　myself？〃　
〃You；〃　said　the　little　prince　firmly。　

〃Exactly。　One　much　require　from　each　one　the　duty　which　each　one　can　perform；〃　the　king　went　on。　〃Accepted　authority　rests　first　of　all　on　reason。　If　you　ordered　your　people　to　go　and　throw　themselves　into　the　sea；　they　would　rise　up　in　revolution。　I　have　the　right　to　require　obedience　because　my　orders　are　reasonable。〃
〃Then　my　sunset？〃　the　little　prince　reminded　him：　for　he　never　fot　a　question　once　he　had　asked　it。　
〃You　shall　have　your　sunset。　I　shall　mand　it。　But；　according　to　my　science　of　government；　I　shall　wait　until　conditions　are　favorable。〃　
〃When　will　that　be？〃　inquired　the　little　prince。　
〃Hum！　Hum！〃　replied　the　king；　and　before　saying　anything　else　he　consulted　a　bulky　almanac。　〃Hum！　Hum！　That　will　be　about　about　that　will　be　this　evening　about　twenty　minutes　to　eight。　And　you　will　see　how　well　I　am　obeyed。〃　
The　little　prince　yawned。　He　was　regretting　his　lost　sunset。　And　then；　too；　he　was　already　beginning　to　be　a　little　bored。　
〃I　have　nothing　more　to　do　here；〃　he　said　to　the　king。　〃So　I　shall　set　out　on　my　way　again。〃　
〃Do　not　go；〃　said　the　king；　who　was　very　proud　of　having　a　subject。　〃Do　not　go。　I　will　make　you　a　Minister！〃　
〃Minister　of　what？〃　
〃Minster　of　of　Justice！〃　
〃But　there　is　nobody　here　to　judge！〃　
〃We　do　not　know　that；〃　the　king　said　to　him。　〃I　have　not　yet　made　a　plete　tour　of　my　kingdom。　I　am　very　old。　There　is　no　room　here　for　a　carriage。　And　it　tires　me　to　walk。〃
〃Oh；　but　I　have　looked　already！〃　said　the　little　prince；　turning　around　to　give　one　more　glance　to　the　other　side　of　the　pla。　On　that　side；　as　on　this；　there　was　nobody　at　all。。。　
〃Then　you　shall　judge　yourself；〃　the　king　answered。　〃that　is　the　most　difficult　thing　of　all。　It　is　much　more　difficult　to　judge　oneself　than　to　judge　others。　If　you　succeed　in　judging　yourself　rightly；　then　you　are　indeed　a　man　of　true　wisdom。〃　
〃Yes；〃　said　the　little　prince；　〃but　I　can　judge　myself　anywhere。　I　do　not　need　to　live　on　this　pla。　

〃Hum！　Hum！〃　said　the　king。　〃I　have　good　reason　to　believe　that　somewhere　on　my　pla　there　is　an　old　rat。　I　hear　him　at　night。　You　can　judge　this　old　rat。　From　time　to　time　you　will　condemn　him　to　death。　Thus　his　life　will　depend　on　your　justice。　But　you　will　pardon　him　on　each　occasion；　for　he　must　be　treated　thriftily。　He　is　the　only　one　we　have。〃
〃I；〃　replied　the　little　prince；　〃do　not　like　to　condemn　anyone　to　death。　And　now　I　think　I　will　go　on　my　way。〃　
〃No；〃　said　the　king。　
But　the　little　prince；　having　now　pleted　his　preparations　for　departure；　had　no　wish　to　grieve　the　old　monarch。
〃If　Your　Majesty　wishes　to　be　promptly　obeyed；〃　he　said；　〃he　should　be　able　to　give　me　a　reasonable　order。　He　should　be　able；　for　example；　to　order　me　to　be　gone　by　the　end　of　one　minute。　It　seems　to　me　that　conditions　are　favorable。。。〃
As　the　king　made　no　answer；　the　little　prince　hesitated　a　moment。　Then；　with　a　sigh；　he　took　his　leave。　
〃I　made　you　my　Ambassador；〃　the　king　called　out；　hastily。　
He　had　a　magnificent　air　of　authority。　
〃The　grownups　are　very　strange；〃　the　little　prince　said　to　himself；　as　he　continued　on　his　journey。

　
　
＇　Chapter　11　＇

　
　the　little　prince　visits　the　conceited　man


The　second　pla　was　inhabited　by　a　conceited　man。
〃Ah！　Ah！　I　am　about　to　receive　a　visit　from　an　admirer！〃　he　exclaimed　from　afar；　when　he　first　saw　the　little　prince　ing。　
For；　to　conceited　men；　all　other　men　are　admirers。　

　
　

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　little　prince。　〃That　is　a　queer　hat　you　are　wearing。〃　
〃It　is　a　hat　for　salutes；〃　the　conceited　man　replied。　〃It　is　to　raise　in　salute　when　people　acclaim　me。　Unfortunately；　nobody　at　all　ever　passes　this　way。〃
〃Yes？〃　said　the　little　prince；　who　did　not　understand　what　the　conceited　man　was　talking　about。　
〃Clap　your　hands；　one　against　the　other；〃　the　conceited　man　now　directed　him。　

The　little　prince　clapped　his　hands。　The　conceited　man　raised　his　hat　in　a　modest　salute。
〃This　is　more　entertaining　than　the　visit　to　the　king；〃　the　little　prince　said　to　himself。　And　he　began　again　to　clap　his　hands；　one　against　the　other。　The　conceited　man　against　raised　his　hat　in　salute。　

After　five　minutes　of　this　exercise　the　little　prince　grew　tired　of　the　game‘s　monotony。
〃And　what　should　one　do　to　make　the　hat　e　down？〃　he　asked。　
But　the　conceited　man　did　not　hear　him。　Conceited　people　never　hear　anything　but　praise。　
〃Do　you　really　admire　me　very　much？〃　he　demanded　of　the　little　prince。　
〃What　does　that　mean　‘admire‘？〃　
〃To　admire　mean　that　you　regard　me　as　the　handsomest；　the　bestdressed；　the　richest；　and　the　most　intelligent　man　on　this　pla。〃　
〃But　you　are　the　only　man　on　your　pla！〃　
〃Do　me　this　kindness。　Admire　me　just　the　same。〃　
〃I　admire　you；〃　said　the　little　prince；　shrugging　his　shoulders　slightly；　〃but　what　is　there　in　that　to　interest　you　so　much？〃　
And　the　little　prince　went　away。　
〃The　grownups　are　certainly　very　o